Patent · US Active

Leveraging a social graph for use with electronic messaging

US9971993B2 · kind B2 · utility

5Cited by
17References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 26, 2012
Grant dateMay 15, 2018
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 12, 2033

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04L51/52
  • WIPO fieldDigital communication
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Techniques for analyzing a social graph of a social network service to identify and then present connection paths connecting various entities are described. With some embodiments, subsequent to a user selecting or otherwise identifying a person to whom a message is to be communicated, a social graph is analyzed to identify connection paths connecting the message sender, or an entity on whose behalf the message sender is acting, to the message recipient. The social graph is implemented with a graph data structure having nodes and edges representing entities and associations between entities, respectively. With some embodiments, the nodes represent people, companies, educational institutions (e.g., schools, universities, etc.), and groups. After identifying the connection paths, the connection path having the highest path score, as derived by aggregating edge scores assigned to the edges, may be presented.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.